


second winter winds (and the taste of rhubarb pie and schnapps)

by lechatnoir



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-14
Updated: 2015-01-14
Packaged: 2018-03-07 12:57:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3174340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lechatnoir/pseuds/lechatnoir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Peggy Carter meets Angie Martinelli and tells herself to keep a distance, that it's safe to not make any ties or connections, that it'll just be like Colleen all over again. </p><p>(she remembers radio static and the sound of the tea kettle screaming in her ears. ) </p><p>Angie however, does not seem to care, and so there's the taste of rhubarb pie and schnapps, and a kiss for good luck.</p>
            </blockquote>





	second winter winds (and the taste of rhubarb pie and schnapps)

**Author's Note:**

> slight spoilers (but not really?) for Agent Carter! 
> 
> also these two are really cute what the heCk. 
> 
> you can find me on tumblr under the name 'chrysanthemumskies' !

i.

The first month it seemed like the cold winter had frozen up her heart – _what was the song that had played on the radio again for the billionth time again?_ Something about losing lovers and she wants to laugh and cry and scream because Peggy Carter knows how war goes and Steve Rogers was a good man – a kind man. And somehow she had found herself growing fond of him, in her own sort of way. 

 

(But then the war was over and they had won, but it was as if there was nothing but metal gears slowly ticking and whirring away in her head – she’d find herself drifting in thought, the tea kettle whistle slowly drawing her back to the present, and yet there seemed to be radio static in her heart.)

When she meets Colleen, she thinks that maybe she can slowly move forward – not entirely, not all at once, and perhaps not even a step forward. But maybe a slight nudge forward, maybe that would be possible. 

(Precisely 3 hours, 45 minutes and 63 seconds later, Peggy Carter realizes that is in fact, incorrect.) 

 

When she comes home, Colleen is dead, and the radio static that hums in her heart and head turns into a hot burning rage that breaks Peggy Carter’s exterior and it’s her hands shaking and hot burning salty tears that she tastes on her tongue as the streets outside her widow seem to laugh and dance with not a care in the world, but Peggy Carter’s shoulders slump and she thinks that she needs to continue --- 

 

 _You cannot move backwards – only forward._

 

When she meets Angie Martinelli, it’s as if the radio static seems to stop and there’s a click and whir of the wires and the faint hum of a song that she thinks she can hear in her head. 

 

(She tells herself not to get close, tells herself that she won’t get attached, that she simply likes the pie at the diner and that Angie serves good coffee and that they can chat about just about anything. 

 

She tells herself to keep on weaving her own web – one identity blurs into another and when she sees the pig who continuously can’t keep his hands to himself, it’s as easy as pie to grab the fork off of the table and jab it into him, and it’s a _one two three_ sort of lickety-split thing – easy as pie, because she knows _exactly_ what Angie’s going through and she knows the quiet anger that simmers underneath the skin. 

Hell, if she wasn’t in public and didn’t need a subtle approach to things, she’d probably deck the jerk in the face. 

 

Not that she really cared what happened to him, but she’d prefer if Angie didn’t get fired because one Peggy Carter decided to act on an impulsive feeling to get rid of some pent up stress by smacking around a bully who deserved it. ) 

Peggy Carter tells herself to keep a distance from Angie Matrinelli, but it seems like Angie can’t seem to keep her distance away from Peggy Carter. 

(At first, she thinks that this is a problem, that this would end horribly and that it would be just like Colleen, and the cold frigid silence would creep up and swallow her whole again. 

Angie Matrinelli however, didn’t seem to give a damn about whether Peggy Carter thought that keeping a distance would be safer for her --- She liked Peggy, and that was more than enough for her to get attached to Peggy. 

In her own sort of way, of course.) 

 

ii. 

It’s approximately another 30 minutes until Angie has to clock out when Peggy Carter sits down with a newspaper and a glum look on her face which makes Angie wish she could clock out already, flip off the assholes at the other end of the diner who won’t stop commenting about how great her _assets_ look and take Peggy out somewhere nice and quiet where they can just talk. 

 

She likes Peggy – sure, she might be British and sometimes she’s _quite_ intimidating if you catch her in a foul mood but she remembers when the war was happening and they’d be getting radio news as to what was going on in Europe – how Peggy Carter and Captain America and those Howling Commandos stormed some sort of secret base and took out the bad guys – and Angie thought that someone who could stare down an entire platoon of enemy troops and take them out without ruining her morning make up is probably amazing. 

 

And heck, she knew that Peggy was _something else_ when she first walked into the diner and sat down, ordered a cup of _tea_ of all things before Angie offered her a cup of coffee on the house – “Just to try it you know? You might like it. Keeps you going when the day seems to drag on forever and it’s like some sort of twisted game of cat and mouse between you and the clock. Trust me. Coffee? Does _wonders_. C’mon, just give it a try, British. You might actually like it. “ - and sure, she might have winked at Peggy and watched a bit of color rise in the other woman’s face and she might have been _sure_ that Peggy may or may not have been staring at her with some sort of fondness – but then the customers from two booths over had flagged her down and she had to grumble and roll her eyes and promise to be back in 10 with the _best cuppa coffee you’ll ever have_. 

 

Still, when Angie returns with a cup of freshly brewed coffee (and a few pastries to boot), Peggy can’t seem to do anything but offer up a quiet ‘ _Thanks_ ’ and a ghost of a smile, which leads to Angie grabbing one of the other waitresses, asking to get a 10 minute cover, and then plopping down on the seat across from Peggy and going “Well, c’mon then, let’s hear what been bothering you, doll. Who do I haveta squash with a broom?” 

And if Peggy Carter seems to light up even briefly, Angie counts it as a bonus point in her book.

(Not that she has one – a book of points that keeps track of every time Peggy Carter’s face lights up or when she smiles or when her eyes catch the dingy lights of the diners and seem to make even the old diner look classy and like the Ritz. 

Alright, so maybe Angie Matrinelli _does_ have a little box filled with a little book of points and dates as to when Peggy Carter smiled at something she said or laughed at. It’s not like Peggy has to know about that. 

Especially not when Peggy moves in and they become almost next door neighbors. 

Especially not then.) 

Angie Matrinelli’s little book of points also has a page filled with plans and activities that they could do together – they being her and Peggy Carter of course – one of which , included schnapps and rhubarb pie – and quite possibly a little page with hearts scribbled away around Peggy Carter’s name. 

Not that Peggy Carter had to know about that, mind you. 

iii. 

It’s easy to lash out of course, easy to let the anger and dark places rise up and sweep you under like an ocean wave. 

It’s easy to be dismissed and kicked out and made to feel as if you’re nothing like dirt. 

(Angie Matrinelli certainly knows the feeling – knows exactly how it is to feel like dirt, or like some sort of baggage dragging behind with torn corners and ripped seams. 

Peggy Carter certainly knows anger and the quiet hum of dark places that lurk in her mind. 

( _You survived a war._ She’d tell herself, and yet it seemed as if sometimes, she was stuck in a loop and it was just her, the radio static, and a deafening silence) 

Still, when Peggy shows up at the diner, it’s hard for Angie to stay mad at her – so she gets her the usual, and waits --- 

And when Peggy talks, Angie rolls her eyes at the man who keeps on asking for a refill and mutters something about shoving a fork down his throat – to which Peggy just raises an eyebrow and Angie winks at her in return, tells her that she knows _just_ the thing to cheer her up – and gets to the rest of the customers that seem to want to make her last five minutes at work a circus juggling act. 

When she clocks out and stretches her arms, Angie then loops her arms through Peggy’s and they make their way back home, nothing but the hum of the street filling the silence between them. 

 

“You know, I’m sorry – for what happened yesterday I mean. I didn’t mean to – “ 

 

“Relax Peg, I sorta overreacted. Besides, we have an entire bottle of Schnapps waiting for us and Rhubarb pie. Plus I think I managed to get some of the Blueberrry pie too. The night is young, and we have plenty of reasons to eat and drink until we pass out. C’mon Pegs, live a little.” 

“Right. You’re right, Angie.” 

 

“Course I’m right, British. Honestly, sometimes you’re far too serious for your own good. Loosen up a little.” Angie says, winking at Peggy as they walk up the stairs to their floor. 

 

“Alright, I’ll be at your place in oh, 10 minutes.” 

 

“I’ll leave the door open then.” 

 

“See you in ten, Pegs.” 

 

“See you, Angie.” 

iv.

 

Rhubarb Pie and Schnapps seems to be a combination for disaster, but it was that sort of nice disaster – in the sense that the radio volume was turned down low, and they had some sort of jazz band playing but really, all Peggy could focus on was the warm body next hers, silk robes be damned. 

 

(And it wasn’t like they were doing anything, just two ladies enjoying each other’s company while also possibly sleeping on the floor next to each other. Or not. )

 

Still, when Angie had arrived with the pies and Schnapps in hand, Peggy had muttered something about this being a bad idea, to which Angie had then had the (ridiculous) idea of playing some sort of guessing game where they’d either take a bite of the pie or a sip of the Schnapps if they guessed the wrong answer to the question. 

 

(Peggy, for starters, found out that Angie liked the color blue and her favorite season was spring, and that her favorite thing to do when off from work is to either sleep or go out and watch people in the streets. Apparently she likes piecing together stories for them based on what she sees in them. ) 

 

(Angie finds out that Peggy Carter still wears her old jacket from the army days, that she enjoys a cup of strongly brewed black tea in the morning, and that she still has scars from the war.) 

 

“I’d like to see them , you know? I bet they look cool – you know, you’re a real charmer, British. Must be the accent, that clearly adds more points in my book I mean, everything sounds so _professional_ when you say it. I bet you had no trouble bossing around the soldiers during the war , right?” Angie mumbles, sitting almost in Peggy’s lap while cradling the bottle of Schnapps in her hands. 

 

“You do talk quite a lot when you’ve got a bit of alcohol in you , don’t you Angie?” 

 

“Darn right I do I mean wait no I talk a lot as is, British! I thought you’d notice by now! You know what I _don’t_ know though? Why you don’t have some lucky man on your arm I mean I know they say that you and Captain America had a _thing_ but y’know, lookat you! You could probably point your finger at any ol schmuck and they’d probably fall for you lickety split.” Angie mumbled, before taking another swing of the bottle and offering it to Peggy, who just shakes her head and laughs quietly and mumbles something along the lines of “No, doesn’t seem like that. They all seem to think I stick out like a sore thumb, if you ask me.” 

 

It’s then that an idea pops into Angie’s head that she almost jumps up if it wasn’t for the plate of rhubarb pie still sitting on her lap – “Pegs. Peg. Peggy – “ 

 

“Yes?” 

 

“What if we go out?” 

 

“What? When? I have work in the morning –“ 

 

“That’s the _morning_ , British. I’m talking about tomorrow night – we can go out, dance, you know the whole package.” 

 

“I don’t know, I know I have a lot of work – “ 

 

“Oh c’mon Pegs – one night! One night won’t kill you.” 

 

“Well – “ 

 

“C’moooon – for me and my coffee!” 

 

“Well, alright. But _only_ because your coffee is on the line.” 

 

“A- _ha_! Peggy Carter finally admits that _my_ coffee is better than any old leaf water!” 

 

“What – I never said that I said that – “ 

 

“Uh huh _sure_. But you have to promise – tomorrow night, we’ll go out.” 

 

“I promise, tomorrow night – “ 

 

“You can’t just _say_ that you promise, Pegs. You gotta _promise_ ” 

 

“Alright then what constitutes as a promise?” 

 

“The good ol’ fashioned way – you gotta kiss me!” 

“But – “ 

“Oh c’mon, it’s not that hard – you’ve kissed a guy before, right?” 

 

“Well yes –“ and it’s here that Peggy looks away and tugs nervously at her hair, hands fidgeting slightly. 

 

“Then it’s not hard at all – c’mon Pegs – it’s alright if you don’t want to --- “ 

 

“ No, no, it’s not that.” 

 

“It’s not?” 

 

“No, just that well, it’s late, and you’re going to wake up with a pounding headache tomorrow and you probably won’t remember this so – “ 

 

“Oh. _oh._. Well, in that case, why didn’t you say so, Pegs?” Angie mumbled before yawning and rubbing at her eyes, nodding -- “Right, right. So we’ll agree and shake hands on it like the big boys do and then tomorrow we can uh go out! “ 

 

It’s here that Angie’s body seemed to lean into Peggy’s and for once, she didn’t really mind it – the weight of someone else , the close proximity of it all. 

(It was nice. ) 

 

For a while, they just stayed that way, Angie half curled towards Peggy and Peggy’s arm slowly wrapped around Angie’s waist, the hum of the radio filling up the room. 

 

(“Hey Pegs?” Angie mumbled, eyes drooping as she blinked slowly and looked at the other woman.   
“Hm?” 

 

“My legs feel like jelly – do you think I can stay the night here? I don’t think I can walk back to my place.” 

 

Peggy didn’t miss a beat before she said “Of course”, and they had slowly made their way to Peggy’s bed, curling up together with the quiet sound of the radio lulling them to sleep. ) 

 

It was the first time that Peggy Carter slept through the night without waking up with nightmares or in cold sweat. 

 

v. 

It’s the sound of the rain humming along with the radio and the quiet lull of the diner after a day at work at the office and yet somehow, Peggy felt as if she had an extra reserve of energy just bouncing around inside of her – as if she was a kid who ate far too much candy before bedtime and couldn’t stop running around the place. 

 

It was then that Angie had finally clocked out that Peggy had grabbed her by the hand and told her to run – and they ran, underneath the rain and bustle of the crowds, past the drooping trees and into the confine of their apartments, in which Peggy told Angie to get changed and to meet her downstairs in twenty.

 

“Is there some kind of rush, Pegs? “

 

“Don’t question it – you’ll see!” 

 

(And thirty minutes later when they arrive at the jazz place and their coats are hanging up in the coat check room, Peggy Carter wears a red dress that an old friend gave her, and Angie Martinelli wears a shimmering green dress, and there’s a certain kick in their steps once the music starts to hum and they decide to dance the night away. 

 

And when it hits midnight and they dash their way home, hand in hand and a bit out of breath, Peggy just says – “ Ah right, almost forgot” 

 

And leans in to press her lips against Angie’s own , to which there’s a hum or two between them once they break for air. 

 

“Well, that was certainly … nice. Didn’t think you’d do that , British but uh – what was that for, anyway?” 

 

“You mean you don’t remember? Seems like you’ve had a bit too much of the Schnapps last night. “ 

 

“Uh well – maybe. A gal’s gotta do what a gal’s gotta do!” 

 

“Right well, of course. You did ask me to make a promise – You wanted us to go out for the night and made me promise that we’d dance. Since we did in fact dance, I’m simply confirming that I stayed true to my wor—mmph.” 

 

It was then that Angie had rolled her eyes (with a bit of fondness) and muttered something about Brits and their need to always follow up with everything – before leaning up and catching Peggy’s lips with her own and effectively cutting Peggy’s speech down short. 

 

“Well, that was pleasant.” 

 

“C’mon, the night’s young – besides, why were you in such a hurry , Pegs?” 

 

“They said that it’d be clear skies tonight so I was hoping to see the stars – “ 

 

“Really? But I don’t really see anything – “ 

“Well, obviously, since I’ve seemed to catch the brightest star of them all. And she’s standing right here next to me.” 

 

“You’re such a sap, British. Such a sap.” Angie mumbled before taking Peggy’s hand and lacing their fingers together, a hum on the edge of her lips. 

 

(And it’s then that Peggy thinks that maybe she can move one step forward now, even if it’s by following a haphazardly drawn map to nowhere and the star alignments seemed to be wonky and out of place – at least she’ll have Angie and her wondrous miracle coffee to keep her on track. 

 

Maybe, she’ll think of the quiet static that greets her in the dark places of her mind and the taste of rhubarb pie and schnapps will chase the bad thoughts away. 

And maybe, she’ll be able to thaw out the cold winds that seemed to have frozen up her heart, little by little. 

One cup of coffee and a slice of pie – at a time. )


End file.
